


Return to Sender

by LilAnnieSunshine



Series: SasuSaku Month 2020 [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Frisking, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, SasuSaku Month 2020, Sharing a Bed, Sharing a Room, Suggestive Themes, Traveling, stuck with you
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:02:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25027387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilAnnieSunshine/pseuds/LilAnnieSunshine
Summary: She wasn't supposed to find him. It wasn't safe for her in the Sound Village.That's why he left her unconscious body on a bench in the Leaf Village, to keep her safe. It's not that he didn't want her, he wanted her so much he needed to make sure she wouldn't put her self in danger.Now she was right in front of him, in the belly of the beast, with him as her only guide.What if Sakura was the one who found Sasuke in Orochimaru's hideout instead of Sai?Sasuke promises to get her home safe, as long as Naruto, or anyone else doesn't get involved.Now he's stuck with her and Sakura has 3 days to convince him to come home.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke
Series: SasuSaku Month 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1812370
Comments: 18
Kudos: 74





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> "If You Had Stayed" can be read as a prequel to this fic.

Sakura ran through the labyrinth that was Orochimaru’s hideout. Part of her still couldn’t believe she was really here. In two and a half years not an single squad had gathered any intel on Sasuke’s whereabouts, much less seen him.

But by chance she and Lady Chiyo defeated Sasori, escaping death by the skin of their teeth. He used his dying breath to tell her about a spy he had working for Orochimaru. She never thought in a million years it would be Kabuto. Of course, Orochimaru broke the Jutsu he was under and it led to a battle that was messier than she would’ve liked.

Her arm still stung from where the Ninetail’s chakra cut into her. She ignored the pain and focused on the task at hand.

She looked down every hallway, through every door she could open. Finally she came across what appeared to be a normal, if not dingy, bedroom. Her eyes were drawn to the bed. There was a boy in it. An Uchiha crest on his collar peaked out from the messy hair in the back of his neck.

“Sasu -“ she opened her mouth to speak and he bolted up.

In an instant he appeared behind her, pushing her into the room and shutting the door behind them.

She gasped at the sudden movement and turned back to face him, his sharingan was activated.

He looked her up and down, it was Sakura after all. No one had ever transformed into her before, but her name had been used against him more times than he cared to admit. He wouldn’t put it past Orochimaru or Kabuto to set him up with a fake Sakura. “It’s you, Sakura.” He said plainly.

“Sakura! What’s wrong? Did you find Sasuke? Are you hurt?” A loud voice, so loud Sasuke could hear it, spoke into Sakura’s earpiece.

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed. _Naruto._ That wouldn’t do at all. He pinned Sakura against the wall front first, grabbing her wrists in one hand and pinning them behind her back. He leaned into her, dropping his mouth down to the microphone on her neck. “Naruto, listen very carefully. I have Sakura. I will see she is returned safely to the Leaf Village within the week, however if you come after me I won’t be able to make any promises about either of your safety. You and whoever else came here with you need to leave now. Your safety and sakura’s depend on it.”

Sasuke heard some squawking through Sakura’s earpiece it sounded like “bastard,” “better not hurt Sakura,” and “who the hell do you think you are?”

Sasuke lazily unclipped the microphone and earpiece from Sakura’s neck with his free hand. He summoned a small amount of electricity and fried it, cutting off communication. He stepped back, putting some space between himself and Sakura, and dropped it to the ground. He looked at Sakura with a bored expression. “Annoying.”

Sakura didn’t know how to respond. She was still so surprised Sasuke was actually right there in front of her. She wanted to scream at him for the two and a half years of hell he put her through and then tearfully tell him she loved him and that he should come home. It didn’t help that he was more handsome now than she ever could’ve imagined, especially with the sharingan deactivated and his beautiful dark gray eyes looking back at her.

When Sakura didn’t say anything, still watching him with the same stunned expression she had when he pushed her into the room, he sighed. “Alright, put your hands on the wall and stand with your legs a little more than shoulder’s width apart.”

“What?” Why was he asking her to do that?

“I have no idea what kind of weapons or scrolls or whatever you have on you and I plan to find out.”

“And if I refuse?” How dare he order her around like the lovesick little girl she used to be.

Sasuke inched closer to her. “I’ll make you.”

She gulped. She had no idea what nasty tricks Orochimaru taught him over the years. But he wasn’t the only one with a Sanin teacher. She’d show him what she could do. She started summoning chakra to her fist when his voice broke her focus.

“I won’t hurt you.” He said bluntly. “You’re not the one I want to hurt. Now do as I say so we can move on.”

She considered it. She considered a lot of things, using her brute strength to knock him out and carry him back to the Leaf Village, escaping and finding Naruto so they could bring Sasuke back home together like they promised, finally she considered the situation she was in.

She was in a hideout surrounded by enemies, except for maybe Sasuke. She had no idea where Naruto was now, if he followed Sasuke’s instruction, or if he was coming after her with the rest of the team. Sasuke promised to get her home safely, alone. It was a three day journey, even going at top speed. She’d have three days alone with him. Three days to get answers. Three days to get him home. Three days to make him fall in love with her.

She decided to do what he said, for now. Sakura put her arms against the wall and spread her legs apart. Evidently it wasn’t good enough for Sasuke who used his knee to nudge them farther apart. Sakura blushed as he did so.

Sasuke reached around her front and unclipped the strap to the pouch she kept on the small of her back.

She flinched when he unclipped her skirt.

He tried to control his breathing. He hadn’t seen Sakura in years and now he was frisking her. Did he need to see if she was hiding any weapons? Yes. Did it make him feel like a pervert patting her down? Also yes.

He started in what he considered “safe” areas, running his hands along the side of her legs, then the front, then the back. He stopped when he reached her bottom. He couldn’t touch her there it was too intimate.

Sakura’s face was burning in anticipation. Surely he wasn’t done. He would’ve told her.

If she looked back at his face, she would be able to see the slight blush on his cheeks and the burning at the top of his ears as he examined her.

He stared intently at her backside searching for any trace of weapons. There clearly were none. He still felt like a pervert, raking his eyes over her, noting the ways puberty had been kind to his former teammate, even if it was just to find out if she was armed.

“Take your hands off the wall.” He ordered.

She took her hands off the wall and moved to turn around.

“Don’t turn around yet.” He stopped her, taking off her backpack and throwing it across the room.

He patted down her back, feeling the seams of her undershirt and the straps of her wrappings under the red shirt above. “Turn around.” He asked her, trying to summon the courage for what he was about to ask next.

She turned to face him. Her expression was shy, but curious.

Sasuke looked away from her for a moment. “Take off your red shirt.”

Sakura blushed deeply and looked down. “Do I have to?”

“I don’t know what you’re hiding under there.” Sasuke didn’t notice the double meaning in his words until they were already out of his mouth.

Sakura quickly unzipped her red shirt ready to get this over with. “Well?” She asked him, shrugging it down her shoulders.

Sasuke noticed the way the black undershirt clung to her curves. Her chest wasn’t very big, and it was clear from the wrappings she wouldn’t be able to hide anything in there.

“Satisfied?” she prompted him again after watching his eyes rake over her in silence.

“Hn.” He confirmed, ready for both of them to be done with the humiliation. He knew it must’ve been hard for her. He hadn’t seen her in years and now he was frisking her and asking her to take off clothes. It wasn’t easy for him either. He took no pleasure in making such inappropriate requests.

Sakura quickly zipped up her shirt.

Sasuke wordlessly handed her back her medic skirt, which she gladly took and fastened around her hips.

“Now what?” she asked. He promised they could move on if she did what he said.

“Now,” He started, staring at her body, which was covered in dirt and sweat. He noted the bandage on her arm. The injury was clearly new and he was sure she would need to change the dressing soon. “You need a shower. Then dinner. Then bed. We’re leaving for the Leaf Village first thing tomorrow.”


	2. Unbidden

“You’re not my father, Sasuke.” Sakura crosses her arms. How dare he think he can tell her what to do. Yes, a shower sounds wonderful, so does food, but he doesn’t have any right to tell her when to bathe or eat, and certainly not to set her bedtime.

“You’re being annoying.” He scowls at her.

“Well, so are you. You can’t order me around –“

“Sakura,” he cut her off. “I can make you.”

Her eyes narrowed at him in anger. She wasn’t the weak little girl she once was, she killed an Akatsuki member, damn it. Maybe she couldn’t defeat Sasuke, but she could certainly hold her own. “Really? How do you plan on doing that?”

“I’ll use the sharingan on you, Sakura.”

She’d seen it in action in her fight against Itachi. He could use it to knock her out or even make her do what he wanted her to do. Here eyes widened.

“I’ll do it.” He said more firmly.

She closed the distance between them, about to fire back a challenge when he activated his sharingan.

The next moment she was unconscious. He caught her, carrying her bridal style over to the bed. He sat down on it, continuing to hold her, and keeping her from touching the bed. She needed to be taught a lesson. He wasn’t the same old Sasuke she used to know. Maybe he was still gentler with her than other people, but she needed to learn he wasn’t messing around.

Two minutes, that’s how long he’d keep her under the genjustsu. It was the gentlest route he could take, sending her into a dreamless sleep. He didn’t have the heart to put her under a genjustu that would hurt her. He couldn’t even bring himself to hypnotize her into taking a shower.

He sat there and watched her chest rise and fall as she slept. Memories came into his mind like battering ram. Unbidden, he thought of the last time he held her. Last time her breathing was more labored since she was crying before he knocked her out. This time her breathing was more even. Last time they were both about the same size, making her feel heavier. Two-and-a-half years gave him superior height and strength, meaning this time she felt lighter and it was easier to manage holding her.

Again unbidden, he found it cute that she was so much smaller than him now, indeed the years had been kind to her. He needed her to wake up before he thought any more sappy thoughts. He released the genjustu and she snapped awake.

She stared up at him, eyes half lidded, until she realized what had just happened. “Get off of me!”

Sasuke got up from the bed and put her on her feet.

“Why were you holding me?” She asked, once she was back on her feet.

“I’m not putting you on the bed, you’re _filthy_.” He wasn’t going to put her on the floor either, but she didn’t need to know that. Hopefully reminding her of the layer of dirt and grime on her skin would convince her to see things his way.

“That’s only because I’ve spent three days traveling at top speed in order to make sure you were safe –“

“Sakura,” He cut her off. She was really starting to get on his nerves. He pulled out a black bathrobe from his closet and handed it to her. “I can tell just from looking at you that you’re sore and tired. That dressing on your arm could probably use some changing. Now do you want to take a shower or not?”

At least he was asking her this time. Sakura snatched the bathrobe from him, noticing the Uchiha fan emblazoned on the back.

“I’ll let you get undressed. Then I’ll show you where the showers are.”

He left the room to give her some privacy, taking a towel and his shower caddy with him.

She walked out a few moments later, clutching the robe closed around her chest. It was much too big for her, and her small chest did little to fill it out, meaning the baggy fabric was practically falling off of her.

More unbidden thoughts about Sakura, these about _just how cute_ she was in his clothes. He gestured for her to follow him, leading to room full of small shower stalls and sinks. He handed her the shower caddy and towel. He stood over by the sinks. “I’ll be right here.”

Sakura blushed, she didn’t like the idea of him listening in on her showering. “Can’t you –“

“I’m not letting you out of my sight, you’re in enemy territory, remember?” His words had a double meaning. The first, she was a Leaf Village Kunoichi and therefore, could not be trusted. The other, she was in danger if Orochimaru or Kabuto, or anyone else for that matter, found her.

Sakura took the towel and caddy and wordlessly went into the stall, turning on the water, she sighed as it hit her sore, tired body and went to work washing the dirt and grime off of herself.

Sasuke’s ears burned at the noise. It was hard to stay neutral when naked Sakura was just a few feet away in a shower stall.

He thought their time apart would quell his desire for her. As it turns out, forming a strong bond with one girl and then pretty much ignoring every other girl he met since then just led to fixating on the girl he got attached to.

When he was back in the village, when he thought he could have a normal life, sometimes he’d indulge in thoughts of her. Growing up alone made him quite touch-starved and her touch was like water in the desert. His thoughts were pretty innocent, he thought about holding her hand, he thought about how good it felt on the occasions he let her hug him, sometimes he thought about kissing her.

Puberty turned those innocent thoughts on their head. When he was awake, he could push the thoughts away, but they always snuck up on him in his sleep. Unbidden, he’d dream of her in his bed, the noises she’d make, the sweet way she’d say his name, the way she’d kiss him, the way she’d feel when he was inside her. More than once he woke up in a cold sweat with a little problem to take care of before he could go back to sleep or get out of bed and go about training.

He found it was harder to ignore his thoughts of Sakura when she was right there in front of him, or at least, a few feet away, naked and shielded from his view by a shower stall.

He heard the water turn off. Sakura came out a minute later, dry, except for her hair and bundled up in the robe he gave her. She toweled off her hair with one hand and handed Sasuke his caddy with the other. “I’m done.” She said cheerfully.

Sasuke was relieved to find the shower _did_ improve her mood like he was suspecting. It would certainly make her easier to deal with.

Sasuke took the caddy from her and led her back down the hall to his room. He pulled out a black t-shirt and sweatpants for her to wear. He noticed her old clothes weren’t on the floor, he figured she put them back in her backpack. “You can put your clothes in the hamper in my closet. We can wash them tonight so they’re ready for you tomorrow.”

He left the room, giving her privacy and came back in once she told him she was done changing.

Her back was facing the door, Uchiha crest prominently displayed. He couldn’t help but think how good it looked on her. She’d be his wife one day, but for now she was the enemy. She was sitting on the floor, tending to the wound on her arm, trying her best to wrap it with one hand.

“Allow me.” Said Sasuke, moving to sit on the floor with her.

Sakura hesitated but ultimately let him wrap her arm for her.

“What happened here?” He asked noting the odd wound.

“It was an accident. I encountered a unique chakra during a battle and ended up getting cut by it.” That’s all she would tell him. It was the truth, although it wasn’t very detailed. She wouldn’t tell him it was the Ninetail’s chakra, or that Naruto was the Ninetail’s host.

“What kind of chakra?” asked Sasuke. He’d never seen anything like it before.

“I can’t really explain it.” She couldn’t there was so much she didn’t know about it.

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow at her and finished dressing her wound in silence. “Are you hungry?” He asked once he was done.

She nodded.

“Let’s get some food.”


	3. Chapter 3

“Stay close to me.” He advised as they left his room and made their way to the kitchen.

Sakura did as she was told, staying close behind Sasuke as they walked down the hall.

“What have we here?” asked Kabuto who appeared in front of them, leaving his lab.

Sakura didn’t notice as Sasuke’s arm twitched backward just a _little,_ in a nervous motion to shield her from Kabuto.

Kabuto grinned looking at the bandage on Sakura’s arm. “Oh Sakura, you’re hurt. By the looks of that bandage, the wound must be pretty big.”

Sakura just scowled at him.

“Kabuto,” Sasuke spoke as evenly as possible. “Have you seen Naruto or Kakashi?”

“I saw Naruto, yes. I’m afraid Kakashi wasn’t interested in seeing you.”

Sasuke looked back at Sakura for confirmation.

“Kakashi-sensei is in the hospital right now. In Konoha.” She told him.

“What a pity they couldn’t wait for him to get better before coming after you, Sasuke.”

Sakura and Sasuke spun around to face Orochimaru.

“Hello, my dear.” He said to Sakura.

She bristled.

“So Sasuke,” he turned his attention to his apprentice. “When were you going to tell us you had a little friend over?”

“She leaves first thing tomorrow.” Sasuke said plainly.

“Well, we’ll be sorry to see her go so soon. She’s welcome to stay longer.” Orochimaru turned his attention back to Sakura. “Safe travels, my dear. Give my best to Naruto.”

“What have you done with him?” Sakura blurted out.

Kabuto and Orochimaru exchanged amused glances at her bluntness. The girl knew she was in a dangerous situation.

_“Just like Tsunade.”_ Orochimaru thought with the smallest hint of fondness. “Nothing my dear girl, you see, we have a common enemy. I heard about your excellent work against the Akatsuki in the Land of Wind. I have a vested interest in keeping you all alive, _for now_.”

Sasuke looked back at her curiously. Sakura kept her eyes locked on Orochimaru.

He sighed. “Come Kabuto, let’s give the children some _privacy.”_ The word was laced with a hidden meaning.

Kabuto crossed their path and ruffled both of their hair in a gesture of mock affection. “Play nice you two.”

Sakura bristled.

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed, but he knew better than to attack Orochimaru’s right hand man. He waited until Orochimaru and Kabuto were out of sight before wrapping an arm around Sakura’s shoulders, gripping her arm hard.

“Let’s go.” He spun her back toward the direction of the kitchen and walked the remaining few doors down into it.

“Sit.” He directed her to the small table in the room.

She sat down, keeping here eyes on him.

He heated up some rice and tempura-fried vegetables before putting both in two bowls and handing her a pair of chopsticks.

Sakura ate greedily. After their first run-in with Orochimaru and Kabuto, her team hadn’t had time to think of food. They ate mostly meal bars and her food pills that even _she_ had to admit needed some work.

Sasuke watched her. In the past, he was sure she would be self-conscious to eat so voraciously in front of him, now she was wolfing her meal down. A ghost of a smile played on his lips, but he dropped it before she looked up at him again.

“What is it?” she asked, green eyes staring intently into his own.

“You had a run-in with the Akatsuki?”

“Yes.” She admitted, swallowing her food hard. “We saw your brother, or who we _thought_ was your brother.”

Sasuke’s eyes flashed red for a moment. “You _thought_ you saw my brother?”

“I don’t know what happened, it was some kind of strange jutsu. We were fighting him one minute, and then the next… it was all a distraction. He wasn’t really there.”

Sasuke wasn’t _exactly_ sure what she meant, but he figured she gave him the best description she could. He knew first-hand how powerful the sharingan could be. He didn’t know how Itachi toyed with Sakura and the rest of his former teammates, but he was certain he did.

“So who did you kill?”

“Deidara of The Stone Village and Sasori of the Red Sand.”

“Ah.” Said Sasuke. He had never heard of Deidara, but he had heard stories about Sasori of the Red Sand from Lord Orochimaru. He was one of the most deadly shinobi The Sand Village ever produced. He also used human corpses to make his puppets. Whatever Kakashi and Naruto did to stop them, it must’ve been pretty impressive.

Sasuke studied Sakura her eyes were pointed downward, at her food, but the still had a far away quality to them. He figured she didn’t want to dwell on the close call her teammates must’ve had with these two very dangerous men.

“Alright,” He said simply. “Time for bed.”

Sakura was surprised at how abrupt he said it. They had barely finished their dinner. “But, I’m not tired.” Said Sakura.

“We leave first thing tomorrow.” Sasuke reminded her.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to fall asleep –“

“Try.” Sasuke told her. He wasn’t going to remind her he could put her under if he really wanted to.

Sasuke washed their dishes in the sink as Sakura looked on. Somehow it was odd to see Sasuke washing dishes, her dad did them at home, but it was different watching Sasuke. Sakura knew he had to learn to take care of himself from an early age, but so did Naruto, and his place was a dump. It was oddly comforting too, to see Sasuke doing something so mundane. He couldn’t be washing dishes while being afraid for his life, so Orochimaru must treat him decently at the very least.

Sakura thought back to their first meeting with Orochimaru, they were certain they’d die that day. Now Orochimaru was calling her “my dear” and letting Sasuke do practically whatever he wanted. Orochimaru said she was useful to him alive, _for now_ , she wondered if it was the same with Sasuke.

Sakura didn’t even notice the sink stopped running until Sasuke caught her staring. He smiled for a moment, letting her stay in her daydream. He wasn’t sure why, but he was comforted by the attention she paid to him. It gave him a sense of normalcy.

“Sakura,” he called her out of her thoughts.

She shook her head and blushed.

Sasuke reluctantly admitted to himself that he missed that color on her. “Time to go.” He said softly, leading her out of the kitchen.

Thankfully, they didn’t run into Orochimaru or Kabuto again. They entered Sasuke’s room and he shut the door. Sakura noticed for the first time that there was only one bed, and it was a twin.

“Um, Sasuke,” She started.

“Hn?”

“Where am I sleeping?” She looked down and blushed again.

“With me.” Said Sasuke, he didn’t realize how suggestive it sounded until he saw her jump a little. He sighed, trying to calm her down. “I told you, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

“I’m not sure we’ll fit –“

“We will.” He assured her.

“I could sleep on the floor.”

“We’re just going to sleep.” He said. He didn’t like the idea of her on the floor. A selfish part of him was coming around to the idea of getting her in bed with him.

“Then I really won’t be able to sleep.” Sakura laughed half-heartedly.

Sasuke turned around and faced the wall before she could see the blush on his face. “If you want, I can put you under.”

“Sasuke –“ She gasped.

“Only if you want.” He turned to face her again. “I won’t force you.”

“You did earlier.” She let out a scoff.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Only because you were being difficult.”

“Oh, I was being difficult?” She moved closer to him.

“You stubbornly fought taking a shower, just because I was the one who suggested it, even though you wanted one.”

“You can’t tell me what to do –“

“No,” Sasuke’s eyes darkened. He was getting really tired of this conversation. “I can –“ He moved closer to her.

“What? Make me?” Sakura challenged, getting in his face. It was at that point she realized how close she was to him. She was so close she had to look up at him. He was so much taller than her now, undoubtedly stronger, and there was something darker in his eyes. She realized, after three years of absence, there were parts of him she didn’t recognize anymore. She let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding in.

She turned to distance herself but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to him. “Don’t be difficult. We have a long journey tomorrow. I need you to keep up with me.”

“You’re afraid _I_ won’t be able to keep up with _you_?” Maybe she didn’t know Sasuke as well as she used to, but he _certainly_ didn’t know her.

“Yes.” Said Sasuke firmly. After a beat his grip on her wrist softened. “I have no doubt you lost some of your strength coming here and dealing with,” he gestured to the bandage on her arm, “whatever did that you. You need your rest more than I do.”

His gaze was softer, but still intense, she found it still made her melt, just a little. “Okay.” She said softly.

They went to the bathroom once more where they both brushed their teeth in silence.

When they got back in the bedroom, Sasuke pulled the covers aside and gestured for her to get in.

Sakura obliged.

Sasuke got in behind her, wrapping his arms around her.

“Sasuke –“

“You’re still in enemy territory, remember?” He murmured behind her. She could feel the vibrations from his voice as he spoke. “I don’t trust you not to go snooping around the compound, and believe it or not, I don’t want Kabuto or Orochimaru to catch you if you do.” _They’ll hurt you, and I don’t want that,_ went unsaid.

Sakura tried to ignore the fact she was in the arms of the man she loved. _“Don’t get your hopes up.”_ She told herself, although he made it clear he still cared whether she lived or died. “Goodnight, Sasuke.” She said sweetly.

“Goodnight.” He decided to say it back rather than give her his standard “hn,” maybe he hadn’t seen her in three years, but he at least owed her a “goodnight.” After all, he didn’t say it before he knocked her out cold and left her on that bench.


	4. Chapter 4

Sakura managed to ignore the warm presence behind her and go to bed. Sasuke didn’t have nearly as much luck. This wasn’t good. They were in bed together. She was in his arms. She shouldn’t be here. He severed his bonds for a reason.

It would be easier to deal with Naruto, he could just beat up the idiot. He couldn’t justify doing the same to Sakura. He thought about his last battle with Naruto, leaving his former best friend in a bloody heap at the Valley of the End.

_“This time Sakura and Kakashi aren’t here to stop us.”_

Kakashi, as much as Sasuke hated to admit it, would’ve defeated him and brought him back to The Leaf Village. He wouldn’t have gotten to fight Naruto at all.

With Sakura, she’d try to stop them, she’d get hurt doing so. Sasuke didn’t think he could turn his back on a bloodied Sakura. He wasn’t even sure if, back then, he would’ve fought with Naruto at all had she been there. He knocked her out and left her on that bench for a reason, and now she’d be confronted with the ugly reality of who Sasuke had become. He’d done things the old him would’ve been ashamed of, the things he had to do to stay on Orochimaru’s good side, things that helped him get stronger.

_“That’s not the only way I’ve changed.”_ He thought. Fucking puberty. What if he had one of his _dreams_ again with Sakura in bed with him? What if he _moaned_ in his sleep? What if he said _her_ name? What if she woke up and she could feel his arousal? So far he hadn’t felt anything, other than comforted, having her so close. But he couldn’t control what he did when he was asleep.

Eventually sleep came. He wasn’t sure how long he was out when he heard Sakura whimpering.

“No, no, no.” She murmured softly.

“Sakura?” He asked.

“Don’t do it.”

_“Don’t do it.”_ She had said that to him once. Was her nightmare about him?

“Don’t hurt her.” Sakura’s hands went to her side, clutching it. “I don’t want to be a puppet.” A tear rolled down her cheek.

“A puppet?”

Sakura started thrashing, her sobbing became louder.

“Sakura.” Sasuke shook her awake.

Sakura screamed as she woke, clutching her side harder.

Sasuke was concerned now, Sharingan activated. Was it some kind of jutsu? Did Orochimaru do this without him noticing? Did Kabuto? Sasuke remembered screaming like that when he first got the curse mark. Did Orochimaru -?

Sasuke grabbed Sakura by the wrists and pulled her into his lap. He hiked up her shirt so it rested just below her breasts. No curse mark there, but a large scar.

“Sasuke!” she cried.

Sasuke flipped her over, pinning her stomach to his lap by placing a firm hand on her lower back. She thrashed, but she didn’t summon any chakra. He hiked up the back of her shirt. She had a matching scar on her back. An exit wound.

He flipped her back over, once again pulling her up by her wrists so she could look him in the eye.

Sakura quickly pulled the shirt down, covering her stomach. “What are you doing?” She asked, embarrassed and nearly out of breath.

“Who the _hell_ did this to you?” he growled reaching his hand underneath the shirt to rub the scar with his thumb.

“What?” Sakura didn’t see what this had to do with him assaulting her after she just had a horrible nightmare.

Sasuke rolled his red eyes. “You woke up screaming like banshee and then grabbed your side. I don’t see a curse mark there, so that can’t be bothering you. So who the hell was your nightmare about?”

Sakura took a deep breath. So he wasn’t just manhandling her for no reason. He could’ve explained that sooner. She had been having nightmares about Sasori recently. The man killed some of the most powerful ninja to ever live. He wanted to make her into his puppet. She shuddered to think of the things he would’ve done to her, _with_ her had he succeeded.

Sasuke let her catch her breath, deactivating his sharingan.

“Sasori.” Sakura said swallowing. “He stabbed me during our battle.”

“ _You_ fought him?”

“Yes,” Sakura said. “I told you I fought him.”

“You said ‘we’ earlier.”

“Yes, Lady Chiyo and I, Lady Chiyo is a puppet master, we killed him.”

Sasuke gently raised up her shirt to examine the scar again. Where the hell were Naruto and Kakashi while she was risking her life? “And the other man, Deidara –“

“Naruto and Kakashi went after him. They killed him.”

Sasuke just held her there, letting her breathe, hearing her hiccup every so often. He let her adjust to her surroundings. He doubted the dingy room was very comforting, but at least it wasn’t the battlefield.

He examined her as she wiped her eyes. She moved to get up, his grip on her tightened.

“Let me go.” She said softly. “I want my water bottle.” She hiccuped again.

Sasuke loosened his grip. “I’ll get it.” He got out of bed and removed her water bottle from her backpack and handed it to her. She guzzled it down eagerly. “Better?” Sasuke asked.

Sakura nodded. She looked tired. Once she adjusted to her surroundings she turned over on her side and laid back down, scooting over so Sasuke could get into the bed.

He did, wrapping his arms around her once again. _Sakura_ went toe-to-toe with an Akatsuki member and survived. No, more than survived, she _won._ Sasuke was no stranger to bad nightmares. He wished he was better with his words, he wished he could comfort her better, but he couldn’t get too close.

He was already in dangerous territory, he couldn’t let the girl he left behind derail his goal in life. He had to kill Itachi. If he did that, maybe he could think about a life with her. But he wouldn’t let himself think of that until the day Itachi was cold in his grave.


End file.
